This recipe from Doyle DeForest of Flour Power Confectionary in Chalmette can be used to make gingerbread cutout cookies, or make it into a house to enter in the NOLA.com gingerbread house contest! If you want to make the house, whip up a batch of royal icing to make glue. Find a pattern to make the house at nola.com/entertainment/dining

Gingerbread cookies or house

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons dark molasses

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Royal icing (see below)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until it is smooth, shiny and holds a peak. Beat in the sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses until smooth.

Onto a sheet of wax paper, sift the dry ingredients together. On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients until they are just combined. Cover and refrigerate the dough about 45 minutes, until firm enough to handle.

Royal icing:

2 pounds confectioners' sugar

2 large egg whites

Put the confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat on low speed as you slowly add the egg whites. Increase speed to medium, and beat until mixture is lump-free, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overbeat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough (keep the rest refrigerated) to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out shapes with sharp cookie cutters. Repeat with remaining dough.

To decorate cookies with nuts, pretzels or other dry baked gods, brush them with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 cup water) which will make the nuts adhere and make the cookies shiny.

Place cookies on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly brown.

To make a gingerbread house: On a lightly floured surface, cut out house shapes. Bake individually on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Let cool completely.

Put the royal icing in a pastry bag with a small round tip (or cut a tiny corner off a plastic bag and use it for a disposable bag). Pipe royal icing onto edges of the pieces to assemble the house.

Let the assembled house rest 24 hours, then decorate with candy canes, candy, gum drops, M&Ms, Skittles, red licorice or any type of candy. Attach with dots of royal icing.

Keep the remaining royal icing at room temperature, covered with a wet towel, so it won't dry out.

MORIAL FAMILY RICE DRESSING? "My mom got a recipe out of the Times Picayune in 1978 for Mayor Dutch Morial's mother's rice dressing for Thanksgiving," writes K.H. of Chalmette. "She as since lost it and we have searched everywhere for it. Can you PLEASE find it? You would make the Christmas of an 81-year-old woman."

MAKING DIVINITY FUDGE WITH NO THERMOMETER: A couple of weeks back, V. asked for a recipe for "Divinity Fudge" that was made with marshmallow cream without using a candy thermometer.

Hmmmm. We all interpreted this differently. L.F. of Kenner sent a recipe that does not use a thermometer and writes, "This particular (recipe) is from the The Rumford Complete Cookbook, Revised, circa 1939. It's yummy, and is a nice substitute when the weather is too humid to make Divinity candy."

This is old-school. Before candy-making cooks had thermometers, the soft-ball/hard-ball system was used to judge the stage of sugar syrups. At the hard-ball stage, (between 250 and 265 on a candy thermometer) a drop of boiling syrup immersed in cold water will form a rigid ball, which will still be somewhat pliable.

Keep the cold water right by the stove, work quickly, and be VERY careful not to burn yourself.

Divinity Fudge

2 and 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup white corn syrup

2/3 cup cold water

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

Stir well together the sugar, corn syrup and water; allow to boil without stirring until it forms a hard ball in cold water. Pour this over the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly. Cool, add vanilla, nuts and baking powder. Beat until cool and thick enough to set. Pour on to a buttered platter and cut when set.

Then we go to new-school. Frequent correspondent G. of Hammond sent this.

No fail microwave divinity

4 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

Dash of salt

3/4 cup water

3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine sugar, syrup, salt and water in a 2-quart casserole dish. Microwave on HIGH for 19 to 20 minutes.

Pour hot syrup gradually over the egg whites, beating constantly at high speed until candy thickens and loses its gloss. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Then, there's this, from T.M.: "I saw a request for divinity fudge without a candy thermometer and knew she was almost certainly talking about the recipe for microwave 'Fantasy fudge' that once graced the back of the Kraft marshmallow creme jar."

ANOTHER RUTH'S CHRIS FAVORITE: Ruth's Chris did us all a great big favor in 2004 when they released the recipe for sweet potato casserole for the first time. This year, they are giving out the recipe for another one of their favorite side dishes appropriate for the holidays: creamed spinach.

This is the real deal from the company, not a copy-cat recipe. The note on it says it is a side dish and also can be served as a party snack with crackers.

Ruth's Chris Crescent City creamed spinach

Makes 4 side-dish servings

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter plus 2 tablespoons softened, divided use

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk or half and half2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 small bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound fresh spinach

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small saucepan, melt 1 stick butter over medium heat until foamy, then add flour and stir until light brown in color. Add onion and seasonings and then whisk in milk, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.

Reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Pass through a fine strainer and reserve. The sauce will be very thick.

Cook 1 pound spinach immersed in boiling water for one minute. Remove and immerse in ice water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze spinach until very dry and puree in a food processor. Set aside.

Just before serving, combine the sauce with the pureed spinach and cook on low heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Finish by stirring in the remaining 2 tablespoons softened butter. Serve warm.